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leonardsmalls

leonardsmalls Pool Build - started October 8

leonardsmalls
15 years ago

I'm going to start a new thread with just my pool build ... which started today.

I've had another thread Patio Build Completed '05 - Pool Build Soon but I figured the build needed a separate space.

The party started this morning about 8:00 AM.











The rest are here

Linky Thing: leonardsmalls pool build

Steel goes in tomorrow.


32' x 22' 4" freeform
3' 9" x 5' 3" deep
16,000 gallons
6'x9' Raised Spa - stacked flagstone overflow - 12 jets
5'6" x 11' Tanning Ledge 8" deep - 2 Bubbler Jets
24' x 18" raised beam w/ 3x24" sheer descents
1.0 HP Tristar SP3210EE- Pool Pump
1.5 HP Tristar SP3215EE Water Feature Pump
1.5 HP Tristar SP3215EE Spa Pump
1.0 HP Polaris QT Air Blower
Hayward DE4826 Filter
Hayward 400,000 BTU Low NOx Heater
Hayward Tigershark RC9990 Robotic Pool Cleaner
Goldline Aquarite Salt/Chlorine Generator
Aqualogic PS-8 Wireless Tabletop Remote
3 Color Logic LED Lights (2 Pool / 1 Spa)
Blue Granite Pebblesheen; Flagstone Coping
618 sq ft Spray Decking w/Flagstone Border

Comments (86)

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    After a week of drying out and a day of a concrete no show .. we have a deck.










    Left to do:

    Tomorrow: Pebblesheen
    Thursday: Acid wash and buff the Pebblesheen / begin filling pool
    Friday: Install flagstone deck trim
    Monday: Spray Deck / Clean up
    Tuesday: Startup / Pool School

    Soon: Landscaping

    32x22 Free Form Gunite (3'9"- 5'3") 6'x9' Free Form Spa - 12 Jets, Blue Granite Pebblesheen, Color Logic LED Lights, AquaLogic PS-8 control, Goldline Salt Chlorine Generator, 1.5hp Tristar 2 speed pool pump, 1.5hp Tristar pump - sheer descents, 1.5hp Tristar spa pump w/1.0hp Blower, Hayward DE6020 Filter, Hayward 400K BTU Heater, Hayward Tigershark RC9990 cleaner.

  • el_duderino
    15 years ago

    Leonard,

    I continue to watch your pool build with envy. We started on the same day and are moving pretty slowly now. We're waiting on decks so that they can do coping and masonry. We still have to pick tile, so that may add yet another delay.

    Looking awesome!

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    The PebbleTec crew showed up early this morning. They're doing an awesome job:











    Entering the home stretch. We could be filling by tomorrow afternoon

  • nutbunch
    15 years ago

    Love the blue granite!

    Very jealous, my concrete isn't even scheduled till tomorrow and you are seriously almost done!

    My PB keeps not passing inspection, I think I'm a little worried. First the equip pad had to move. Then there wasn't enough rebar for the concrete.

    Concrats on your success! The pool looks great and I bet it's a load off now that its so close to done!

  • gina171
    15 years ago

    oh, pebbletec day is so much fun!!! i remember how excited we all were when ours was done!

    yours looks fantastic....these guys are real pros, aren't they? what meticulous workmanship pebbletec has, i am a real fan.

    your color looks like it will be fantastic, i cannot wait to see it. we love our majestic plum, but blue granite pebblesheen was a close second. we have the shimmering sea, you will just love it!

  • Laura Ready
    15 years ago

    Almost there! Wow! Looks great.

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Pebblesheen was acid washed and buffed today.

    I came home a sight that I've been waiting for since last March:













    Flagstone trim on the deck tomorrow
    Spraydeck on Monday
    Startup on Tuesday

    32x22 Free Form Gunite (3'9"- 5'3") 6'x9' Free Form Spa - 12 Jets, Blue Granite Pebblesheen, Color Logic LED Lights, AquaLogic PS-8 control, Goldline Salt Chlorine Generator, 1.5hp Tristar 2 speed pool pump, 1.5hp Tristar pump - sheer descents, 1.5hp Tristar spa pump w/1.0hp Blower, Hayward DE6020 Filter, Hayward 400K BTU Heater, Hayward Tigershark RC9990 cleaner.

  • njfolks
    15 years ago

    Hi Leonardsmalls--

    Thanks again for the Pebble Tec pools you posted with the blue colors. Your Blue Granite is going to look fantastic with your stone colors. You apparently upgraded from the standard number of spa jets. Was this your idea or the PBs? It appears that you have more than I think is the standard number of wall returns, but it's hard to see. I particularly like the way you did you spa and was thinking of doing something similar. Did you ever post a sketch? Well, congratulations and enjoy. And, don't forget to post your beautiful water pictures when the pool clears.

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    You apparently upgraded from the standard number of spa jets. Was this your idea or the PBs?

    Ours .. after we saw the spa on our friend's pool build (same PB). We up sized the spa to 6'x9' and went with 12 jets - 8 in the wall, 4 in the floor.

    t appears that you have more than I think is the standard number of wall returns, but it's hard to see.

    We were expecting 6, got 8.

    Did you ever post a sketch?

    I had posted one on my previous Patio Build '05 thread ... here it is:

  • Laura Ready
    15 years ago

    Hurray! It looks great. Can't wait to see when all is done!

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    This morning - flagstone borders and trim around the deck:

    This afternoon - it's full, it's up and running.

    We've definitely made some progress this week. Weather permitting all the final details should be finished up by next week.

    Then it's on to landscaping

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Putting down the Spraydeck texture:


    Color to follow.

    Pool school later this afternoon.
    Final cleanup tomorrow.

    I'll be talking to the landscapers next week.

    32x22 Free Form Gunite (3'9"- 5'3") 6'x9' Free Form Spa - 12 Jets, Blue Granite Pebblesheen, Color Logic LED Lights, AquaLogic PS-8 control, Goldline Salt Chlorine Generator, 1.5hp Tristar 2 speed pool pump, 1.5hp Tristar pump - sheer descents, 1.5hp Tristar spa pump w/1.0hp Blower, Hayward DE6020 Filter, Hayward 400K BTU Heater, Hayward Tigershark RC9990 cleaner.

  • joanneswimsct
    15 years ago

    Hi leonardsmalls!
    Pool looks great! And it seems as though the build went quickly and smoothly for you! Congrats!
    joanneswimsct

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    The cleanup crew has come and gone. These will probably be the last picture updates until the landscaping is in:



    I love the way the water changes color as the sun goes through its day, here it is near dusk.


    The walkway is back in place and the equipment pad is right around the corner from the patio.


    Our PB, Pearland Pools, did an absolutely incredible job, we could not be happier with the results.

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    With the chemicals in balance every hint of green is gone:



  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Landscaping bids were solicited after Christmas had come and gone. We got 3 estimates and wound up going with Jeff Burke at Budget Landscaping in Friendswood, TX. He had done the landscaping for two of our friends who had pools put in and came highly recommended.

    Linky Thing: Budget Landscaping Website

    Jeff did an incredible job for a very reasonable price.

    Our oasis is complete:

    Starting with the view out our back door:

    Someone pinch me ... I can"t believe that this is our backyard.

    32x22 Free Form Gunite (3'9"- 5'3") 6'x9' Free Form Spa - 12 Jets, Blue Granite Pebblesheen, Color Logic LED Lights, AquaLogic PS-8 control, Goldline Salt Chlorine Generator, 1.5hp Tristar 2 speed pool pump, 1.5hp Tristar pump - sheer descents, 1.5hp Tristar spa pump w/1.0hp Blower, Hayward DE6020 Filter, Hayward 400K BTU Heater, Hayward Tigershark RC9990 cleaner.

  • hawkfive
    15 years ago

    Just beautiful - enjoy!!

  • lancer1991
    15 years ago

    Landscaping looks great. I like the black mulch being broken up by the large river rock.

    Definitely was amazing how much the new fence changed the look of things even before the pool was done.

    Great job.

  • sdkath
    15 years ago

    Congratulations!!! It looks fantastic. What an amazing difference adding the landscaping does too! All that concrete got softened up and now it looks perfect. We might be using your water color in the end too. It's just lovely. :)

    Katherine

  • flamingo212
    15 years ago

    Looks great..... still pleased?

  • ordpete944
    15 years ago

    we used the same tiles for our pool build over a year ago. You will like them. Your end result is gorgeous. Congrats!!

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Looks great..... still pleased?

    Absolutely.

    Taking care of it - brushing, cleaning the skimmers, keeping the chemical balanced,etc ... are nice therapy when I get home in the afternoon.

    It's been kind of chilly for Houston but I did get into the spa this week ... my wife is lucky she didn't come out in the morning to a grease slick floating in the middle ... it was soooooo relaxing. We plan on enjoying it again tomorrow evening.

  • houseful
    15 years ago

    That is beautiful! I hope I can get my lanscaping to look like that this year.

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    One more pass, now that the sun is shining:

  • poolguynj
    14 years ago

    Life is rough Len.

    Scott

  • cvd775
    14 years ago

    The PB I want to use is using the same equipment / spa shape/size as you. They want to put the Hayward Tristar 1.5HP pool pump in. You have the 12 jets(I think you said the floor jets are off a separate pump?). Mine will have 8. Are you happy with the performance of the 1.5 HP pump or do you wish you would have gone to the 2HP.

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    cvd ... I've got 8 jets on the 1.5 HP with a 1 HP blower. The blower is nice for a while but we usually turn it off if we're going to be in the spa for any length of time. The 1.5 HP is great all by itself.

  • tresw
    14 years ago

    That really turned out great!!!! Are you swimming yet? We've got a solar cover on trying to get the water up to a comfy level (Dallas area).

  • cvd775
    14 years ago

    Thanks you for your help and pictures. Looks Like I may go with Pearland pools myself. Looks like they did an outstanding job on yours. Thanks for your replies.

  • jsc_fswd
    14 years ago

    Anyone who contracted Pearland Pools add a lien waver provision in their contract? Who did they subcontract for the work? Did you get a certificate of insurance for liability? I like their proposal, so just trying to cover all the bases. I had a patio construction contract mishaps years ago, so now I enter contracts much more prudently...

  • sandiegolew
    14 years ago

    Love the pictures of your pool...We are considering using the Blue Granite Pebble Sheen too...how do you like it?

  • travis_turner
    14 years ago

    Pics are great...we are in the same boat as far as picking a color. Trying to decide between Tahoe Blue and Blue Granite. My wife likes the larger stones of Tec, so it's looking like Blue Granite. So, same question...how do you like the Blue Granite?

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Anyone who contracted Pearland Pools add a lien waver provision in their contract? Who did they subcontract for the work? Did you get a certificate of insurance for liability? I like their proposal, so just trying to cover all the bases. I had a patio construction contract mishaps years ago, so now I enter contracts much more prudently...

    Their main contractor is Modern Methods Gunite, who does both their gunite and pebbletec installations. Given that they request lien waiver provisions from their subs, I don't think they'll have any problem ading one to a contract ... you can verify this with them.

    We didn't get one in our contract because we didn't feel the - we've had 3 friends in the past 8 years who've used them.

    We've been extremely happy with our results.

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    sandigolew and travis_turner

    We love the Blue Granite. It's blue, blue, blue in full sun and a deeper blue in the afternoon shade. The texture is not as coarse as the Tahoe Blue pebbletec but, other than that it's very nearly the same color.

    We added the "shimmering sea" option ... crushed abalone shell. It sparkles just like silica in the granite boulders in the water at Tahoe - a place I'm very familiar with - been going since I was 2 years old. My great-grandmother built a summer home up there in the 30's - Brockway on the North Shore, just down the hill from the Cal-Neva:

  • jsc_fswd
    14 years ago

    Thank you for the information! One more question, when you had to make the payments at excavation, at gunite, and so on, did you make them before or after that stage of the work was completed?

    By the way, I think your pool looks great, and I do like their proposal alot. I just don't know anyone who has personally had a pool built by PP, so I'm being more cautious. Thanks again for the response!

  • lala2874
    14 years ago

    Yes, thank you for all the information and pictures you have posted here. We too, are about to sign with Pearland Pools...have been very impressed with them so far. Your pool has been very inspirational!!
    Looks like there will be several of us with projects going on with them at the same time!!!
    I can't wait til I can start posting pics!

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    One more question, when you had to make the payments at excavation, at gunite, and so on, did you make them before or after that stage of the work was completed?

    All the payments were after that particular stage was completed.

  • travis_turner
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the info....

  • nosabe
    14 years ago

    Without being crass, I wonder if you're willing to post a ballpark budget for your alluring pool.

  • nosabe
    14 years ago

    bump

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    No Problem:

    32x22 Free Form Gunite (3'9"- 5'3") (100' perimeter)
    6' x 10'6" Tanning Ledge w/2 bubblers
    6'x9' Free Form Spa - 12 Jets
    Blue Granite Pebblesheen
    Color Logic LED Lights (2 Pool, 1 Spa)
    AquaLogic PS-8 control
    Goldline Salt Chlorine Generator
    1.5hp Tristar pool pump - 2 speed
    1.5hp Tristar pump - sheer descents (3 x 24")
    1.5hp Tristar pump - spa
    1.0 HP Polaris QT Air Blower
    Letro AutoFill
    Hayward DE6020 Filter
    Hayward 400K BTU Heater
    Hayward Tigershark RC9990 cleaner
    600 sq ft new deck - sprayed cool deck
    Stacked flagstone spa spill over
    Pressed flagstone on raised beam
    Flagstone coping
    Flagstone border around deck
    Area drains with 140' 4" pipe to street

    Total ~$44 - $45K

    In addition to that I had to reroute my electric line (went right through where the pool went) $2,200

    Upsize Gas Meter (required for 400K BTU heater) $350

    Does not include the landscaping.

  • nosabe
    14 years ago

    Thank you. This thread and your detailed info has been very helpful to me and many others, I'm sure.

  • loves2read
    14 years ago

    maybe you said before but what diameter piping did you use--2 inch, 2.5 or 3 inch
    and what has this done to your electric bills with addition of pumps/filter system

  • lala2874
    14 years ago

    Do you remember the name of the color of your decking? I am at that stage (choosing colors) and yours is very nicely done!

  • leonardsmalls
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    loves2read - 2" sucgtion from the pool, 2.5" suction from the spa. All the returns back into the pool are 1.5"

    lala2874 - the color was mixed onsite til it was what we wanted. It turned out to be very close to Sand Buff

  • jenno_tx
    14 years ago

    I'm a little late to the party, but just wanted to say how beautiful your pool/yard is! Everything turned our really great! The landscaping and fence pack such a punch on the overall outcome. Makes me really bummed that I know our landscaping/fence improvements will have to come in time..... Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures!

  • hv4xpy4
    14 years ago

    leonard,
    seeing this thread pop-up i likewise wanted to pass along i appreciated you posting of your build. helped convince me on the blue granite PS and on putting in an umbrella sleeve in the tanning shelf; also i didn't realize it before, but looking at this thread now i think we used the same tile as you as well - at least it looks the same. must have been a subliminal thing.

    Here is a link that might be useful: dfw build

  • just-a-pb
    14 years ago

    Pool looks great!
    Looking at your build pics I am so glad I am in sunny AZ.
    We have only had one really bad rainy season, and that was 5 or 6 years ago, lasted maybe two weeks. I think I would lose my mind if I had to deal with that all the time.
    Enjoy

  • deckard12
    12 years ago

    Hi Leonard - 3+ years into it, are you glad you went with Pearland Pools, saltwater, spraydeck, flagstone coping, pebblesheen (esp. for your feet), etc.?

    Anything you would have done differently?

    Did you seal the coping?

    Thanks in advance for any input. I'm leaning toward Pearland Pools and Backyard Amenities as my PB.

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